How To Organize Your Unpaid Bills

 

I’ve had many clients who, though they have ample funds, pay late fees every month due to lost bills. The one folder that I’ve created more than any other is “Bills to Pay.”  Even though more and more bills are paid electronically now, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a few old-fashioned paper bills that creep in from time to time.

The simple act of gathering all of your bills in one place can feel like a small miracle, but there a few tricks of the trade that will ensure this folder is actually used:

- “Bills to Pay” must be called “Bills to Pay” or “Unpaid Bills.”  “Bills” can mean so many things and are usually a nebulous mix of paid and unpaid.

- “Bills to Pay” must live in one of three places:

- a bag that travels between home and work

- in the place where you pay the bills, such as the desk

- in the place where the bills come in, such as the kitchen (this is where mine is)

- “Bills to Pay” must be in a transparent file such as the one pictured here.  Find them here at Staples.   This cuts out the step of opening the folder to see if there are indeed any unpaid bills.  It’s the small things . . .